Rig Veda 1.113.17: Mandala 1, Sukta 113, Mantra 17
Sukta 1.113
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स्यूमना वाच उदियर्ति वह्निः स्तवानो रेभ उषसो विभातीः । अद्या तदुच्छ गृणते मघोन्यस्मे आयुर्नि दिदीहि प्रजावत् ॥
syū́manā vā́ca úd iyarti váhniḥ stávāno rebhá uṣáso vibhātī́ḥ | adyā́ tád uccha gṛṇaté maghoni asmḗ ā́yur ní didīhi prajā́vat ||
С полнотой вдохновенной речи возносится вверх огонь-вестник (вахни), воспевая сияющие Зори (Ушас) песнопением. И ныне, о щедрая, воссияй для поющего; утверди в нас жизнь, богатую потомством (праджа).
Word by Word
- स्यूमना
- kindly-minded, benevolentAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (उषस्-विशेषणम्)Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृपदस्य)Root स्यूमन् (प्रातिपदिक) < सु-मनस् (सु + मनस्)
- वाचः
- voices, hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उद्
- up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (उद्-)Role क्रियाविशेषणम्Root उद् (उपसर्ग)
- ईयर्ति
- sets in motion, raisesVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot ईर् (धातु) [ईर्/ईरय्]
- वह्निः
- the bearer/impeller; (here) the singer-priest, fire-like carrierNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तवानः
- praisingParticipleवर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययः (आत्मनेपदीयः), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; वह्नि-विशेषणम्Role कर्तृविशेषणम्Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तव (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- रेभः
- the singer, praiserNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; वह्नि-समनाधिकरणम्Role कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण)Root रेभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभातीः
- shining, radiantParticiple/Adjectiveवर्तमानकाले (शतृ/न्त्-प्रत्यय-आधारित) स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; वाचः-विशेषणम्Role कर्तृविशेषणम्Root वि-भा (धातु) → विभाति (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- तत्
- that (this hymn/utterance)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उच्छ
- utter!, speak out!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थः), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वच् (धातु) — वैदिक आज्ञार्थे विशेषरूपम् (उच्छ < उच्/वच्-आदेश)
- गृणते
- to the one who praises (the singer)Verbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, चतुर्थी-एकवचन-समप्रयोगः (दत्तिवत्) — ‘गृणते’ = ‘to the singer/praiser’Role सम्प्रदानRoot गृ (धातु) / गृण् (स्तुतौ)
- मघोनि
- O bountiful one (Dawn)Noun (vocative) / Epithetस्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (उषसः सम्बोधनम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot मघोनी (प्रातिपदिक) < मघवन्-स्त्री
- अस्मे
- for us, to usPronounसप्तमी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन-रूपम्; वैदिके ‘अस्मे’ प्रायः दत्त्यर्थेRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आयुः
- life, lifespanNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, into; firmlyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (नि-)Role क्रियाविशेषणम्Root नि (उपसर्ग)
- दीदीहि
- set/establish; grant firmly (lit. make shine/strengthen)Verbलोट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot दा (धातु) / दी (दीप्तौ) — वैदिके ‘दीदीहि’ (द्विरुक्त-आज्ञार्थः)
- प्रजावत्
- with offspring, progeny-endowedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; आयुः-विशेषणम्Role कर्मविशेषणम्Root प्र-जा (प्रातिपदिक) → प्रजावत्
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: स्यूम॑ना वा॒च उदि॑यर्ति॒ वह्नि॒: स्तवा॑नो रे॒भ उ॒षसो॑ विभा॒तीः । अ॒द्या तदु॑च्छ गृण॒ते म॑घोन्य॒स्मे आयु॒र्नि दि॑दीहि प्र॒जाव॑त् ॥ पद-विच्छेदः (मुख्य): स्यूमना वाचः उद् ईयर्ति वह्निः स्तवानः रेभः उषसः विभातीः । अद्य तत् उच्छ गृणते मघोनि अस्मे आयुः नि दीदीहि प्रजावत् । Sandhi: (1) उदि॑यर्ति = उद् + ईयर्ति (उद्-उपसर्गः; द् + ई → दी/दीर्घ-सन्धिः)
- (2) तदु॑च्छ = तत् + उच्छ (त् + उ → दु)
- (3) आयु॒र्नि = आयुः + नि (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: ः + न → र् न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With fullness of inspired speech the flame rises upward, praising the shining Dawns with song. Today too, O bounteous one, shine for the singer; set firmly in us a life rich with progeny.
Inner meaning
Here Uṣas is invoked together with the inner instrument Agni/Vahni: the will-flame rises in the being, carrying inspired speech (vāc) that can praise and thus open to illumination. The ‘rebha’ (inspired chanter) symbolizes the awakened expressive mind that resonates with the dawn-forces. The prayer is practical: let this illumination occur today, and establish in us āyus—sustained conscious life—‘prajāvat’, rich with inner offspring: powers, realizations, and soul-qualities that are born from the union of aspiration (Agni) and illumination (Uṣas).
Universal truth
When will and inspired expression rise together, illumination responds; from that light is born a lasting, fruitful life—an inner lineage of awakened capacities.
Themes
Speech and fire as instruments, Prayer for longevity and generativity, Daily renewal of illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.113, RV 1.31 (Agni themes, general)
Family tradition
Āṅgiras poetry often joins Uṣas (illumination) with Agni (will) and vāc (mantric speech), presenting an integral method: aspiration + revelation + expression.
Significance
This verse explicitly gives the sādhanā mechanism: raise the will-flame with inspired speech, and ask the Dawn to establish lasting, fruitful life in the seeker.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (with Agni/Vahni as inner instrument)
- Epithets
- maghonī (bounteous), vibhātīḥ (shining)
- Related deities
- Agni, Sarasvatī (vāc), Sūrya
Cosmic role
Uṣas illumines and renews; Agni carries the offering and awakens aspiration.
Inner power
Illumination responding to aspiration; stabilization of life-force and generative inner growth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning praise by the hotṛ/reciter; prayer for long life and prosperity (inner and outer).
स्यूम॑ना वा॒च उदि॑यर्ति॒ वह्नि॒: स्तवा॑नो रे॒भ उ॒षसो॑ विभा॒तीः । अ॒द्या तदु॑च्छ गृण॒ते म॑घोन्य॒स्मे आयु॒र्नि दि॑दीहि प्र॒जाव॑त् ॥
स्यूम॑ना । वा॒चः । उत् । इ॒य॒र्ति॒ । वह्निः॑ । स्तवा॑नः । रे॒भः । उ॒षसः॑ । वि॒ऽभा॒तीः । अ॒द्य । तत् । उ॒च्छ॒ । गृ॒ण॒ते । म॒घो॒नि॒ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । आयुः॑ । नि । दि॒दी॒हि॒ । प्र॒जाऽव॑त् ॥
syūmanā | vācaḥ | ut | iyarti | vahniḥ | stavānaḥ | rebhaḥ | uṣasaḥ | vi-bhātīḥ | adya | tat | uccha | gṛṇate | maghoni | asme iti | āyuḥ | ni | didīhi | prajāvat
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4 x ~11
Ascending, hymn-like; first half rises with vahni’s upward motion, second half becomes a direct prayer.
Combines uplift (ud iyarti) with settling (ni didīhi): energize then stabilize.
- स्यूमना वाचः (syūmanā vācaḥ)
- Literal: with fullness/abundance of speech. Symbolic: Inspired mantra-vāc; integrated expression from deeper consciousness
- वह्निः (vahniḥ)
- Literal: flame, carrier (Agni). Symbolic: Divine Will in us that carries offerings upward
- उद् इयर्ति (ud iyarti)
- Literal: rises upward. Symbolic: Aspiration and ascent of will and consciousness
- रेभः (rebhaḥ)
- Literal: inspired singer/poet. Symbolic: Awakened expressive mind; mantra-consciousness
- उषसः विभातीः (uṣasaḥ vibhātīḥ)
- Literal: the shining dawns. Symbolic: Multiple waves of illumination in the being
- नि दिदीहि (ni didīhi)
- Literal: set down firmly, establish. Symbolic: Make stable the gained consciousness; fix it in the nature
- प्रजाव॑त् (prajāvat)
- Literal: with progeny. Symbolic: Fruiting of the sādhanā: inner births of powers, virtues, realizations
Hymn used to synchronize the rising of Agni (will) with dawn: the speech (vāc) and fire cooperate to establish auspicious life and generative power for the sacrificer.
At dawn before recitation, study, or any sacred work; also during life-cycle blessings for vitality.
Chant with a lamp/fire present; offer ghee or simply offer attention; conclude with silent aspiration for āyus and prajā.
Use as a mantra for creative/spiritual productivity: inspired speech + steady will + fruitful outcomes.
váhni- from √vah ‘carry’ is both fire and the carrier-principle (Agni as will). maghónī from maghá ‘gift, bounty’ signifies a power of abundance. ní didīhi (ni-√dhā, perfective/imperative nuance) requests a stable establishment of ā́yuḥ. prajā́vat: prajā ‘progeny, generation’ from pra-√jan ‘be born, generate’—psychologically, the birth of right formations in consciousness.
mantra-vāc as creative power, Agni as will-carrier, stabilized life-force (āyuḥ) under light
Mantric speech aligned to Ṛta evokes the Dawn’s orderly descent of light and establishes life in right rhythm.
The prayer ‘shine today’ implies truth is experiential and renewable, not merely remembered.
Inner creation through ‘prajā’: births of soul-powers from the union of flame and light.
Mantra-yoga / integral Vedic psychology: speech, will, and illumination cooperate in transformation.
dawn
Rising aspiration (fire) expresses as inspired speech; illumination answers; stable vitality and inner fruitfulness result.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The coordinated rising of inner fire (vahni) and dawn-light (uṣasaḥ vibhātīḥ): a ritual-psychological myth where illumination is established through mantra and will, yielding enduring life and generative capacity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc- ‘speech’ aligns with PIE *wekʷ- ‘voice, speak’ (Lat. vox). The pairing of inspired speech and fire reflects an archaic Indo-European poetics where word and flame jointly mediate the sacred (compare cognate traditions of ‘praise’ as efficacious speech).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal economy: the rishi offers praise through vāc and the rising vahni; Uṣas is asked to respond by establishing āyuḥ and prajā (enduring conscious life and fruitful inner births). The relationship is cooperative: human instruments prepare the vessel; the goddess fixes the result.
Unite will (inner flame) and mantra-vāc; ask the Dawn to stabilize a fruitful life-force in you.
Viśuddha (vāc) and Maṇipūra (will)
On inhale feel ‘vahni’ rising from navel to heart; on exhale let sound flow gently from throat; end with a silent pause on ‘ni didīhi’.
Inspired, steady, quietly productive; devotional concentration.
Chant 12 times; then 5 minutes of japa or journaling to let ‘prajā’ (inner offspring) emerge as clear intentions, insights, or creative lines.
Respect udātta/anudātta/svarita; give clear lift on ud iyarti and uṣaso vibhātīḥ; soften into prayerful tone on adyā tad uccha.
Two-phase delivery: (1) energetic ascent in first hemistich, (2) gentle petition in second; keep ‘ni didīhi’ firmly grounded.
(syūmanā): long ū; avoid ‘shy’—it is s+y, (vahniḥ): clear h; final ḥ light, (rebha): single bh aspiration, (prajāvat): j as voiced palatal; long ā
Devotional, resonant, with a clear rising contour in the first half and soothing steadiness in the second.
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